Calculator



L. E. BURG CALCULATOR July 24, 1962 Filed Nov. 2, 1959 .relationrto the length of, the race to be run. vaims differ considerably. The goal may be for 1a sprinter for the Western quarter mile races, for a router in ythe two mile steeple chases, or for any midpoint of these ex-` 3,045,906 CALCULATOR Lawrence E. Burg, 7138 S. Coles, Chicago, Ill. Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,365 Claims. (Cl. 23S-70) The present invention relates to improvements in calculators of the slide rule typevand more particularly to an limproved calculator for determining the change in time required `for `a race vhorse to complete a yrace as a function of change in the factors of weight, location of race, age and length of race.

When handicapping any horse race, two major elements are invo1ved-namely, Class and Condition." If the handicapper can determine lwhich horse is the class of vthe race, and in addition can determine that the horse is -in top condition, he is pretty sure to have a winner (barring unforeseen bad racing luck or jockey errors).

f Class merely designates the horses natural speed ability in comparison to .that of other horses. It is also an indication of the horses running 'ability in relation to the track record.

The most dicult factor to ascertain is the maximum speed of ya horse. Public information, such as is contained in The Daily Racing Form, give sutlicient clues to determine the potential speed of horse. VOne Vmust, of course, know what clues are needed, and must have the inclination and the time to ferret out the desired information.

One starts with the best vtime a horse has ever run a particular distance on a particular track. The diculty comes when one attempts to interpret this information and reevaluate it to todays race which is run under different conditions. It could take hours to handicap a single race.

-The average -horse is in peak condition in only 2 or 3 races aV year. His running time may be up to 2 seconds faster than in his off-peak races. At these times it is possible to learn the maximum ability of the horse.

iIn handicapping a new race, it is necessary to evaluate only vthree additional factors to learn the potential time the horse -rnay run in any new race. The instant invention makes it possible to handicap a complete race in only a few minutes.

The three -factors that must be adjusted to get `the horses time nfor any -new race are: (l) Age of horse. (2) Weight difference, if any, between the two races. (3) The speed of the track (which is determined by the track characteristics).

With three simple settings onthe .device embodying 4the principles o'f .the present invention these yfactors are automatically evaluated and converted into a time element.

There are many tractors that contribute to the speed of a horse .in a particular race. These factors have al- `ready :been incorporated `in the present invention handicapping since .they were reflected in the 4time the horse ran his bestprevious race. Important factors are: :Breeding-Breeding and blood lines are important in Breeding tremes. The ability of the ancestry quite often shows up in the progeny.

Sex 'of komaf-Male horses are classed as: (a) horses;

(b) geldings; (c) colts. Female horses are classed as: (a) yfilly; (b) mare.

nited States Patent O M 3,045,906 Patented July 24, 1962 ICC Class of competition-In a'n effort to equalize the chances of winning, horses are grouped into different.

classes, depending upon their ability. This .grouping 'is made by the Racing Secretary .of the track involved who sets the conditions for each race. A common condition ttor equalization is the assignment of weights'to be carried bythe horses.

.Skill of jockey-Even if a horse is in peak condition it is generally necessary to 'have a skillful and daring jockey up. Most horses must be driven" to win; a good horse ridden by a poor jockey can be beaten Iby an inferior horse which 'is piloted by a skill-ful jockey. The ability of the jockey is of greatest importance in -races of great distance.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved `and simplified calculator Ifor rapidly determining the time required for a horse to complete a race based on a previous race and dependent on the significant factors affecting lthe horses speed, which have changed since ythe previous race, including age, weight carried, and speed of track.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of scales and `movable elements in a calculator utilizing scales representative of the factors of weight carried, age of horse, and speed of track.

A still further object of the invention -is to provide a calculator wherein a conversion is simply made to provide for -an increase or decrease in total distance of race in calculating the total time required lfor a race.

Another object of the invention is to provide an imq proved calculator which reiiects and automatically compensates for numerous miscellaneous factors affecting a horses running speed.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent with the teachings of the principles of the invention in connection with the disclosure of the preferred embodiment thereofiin the specification, claims and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is Ia top plan view of a calculator constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;`

FIGURE 2 is a fbottom plan view of the calculator of FIGURE l; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along line III-III of FIGURE `l.

As shown on the drawings:

'The calculator includes a first movable slide member 4 and a second `movable slide member 5. The slide members are supported for relative sliding movement -within a frame member 6. The fframe member has a top plate 7 and a bottom plate 8. The plates are secured to each other at the corners by rivets 9 and are held separated by edge located spacers 10 and 11, FIGURE 3. The top plate is notched at 12. and 13 at its ends and the bottom plate is provided with corresponding notches 14 and 15 to enable the user to readily grip the ends of the side members 4 and 5.

The -top plate Ais provided vwith .a weight window 16 and the bottom plate 8 is provided with a track window 17, The top plate is additionally provided with anV age window 17a. The scales on the slide members are viewed through these `windows and the scales 'are shifted in accordance `with the prevailing factors with the answer appearing in either a rst answer window 18 in `the top plate 7, or a second answer window 19 in 4the fbottom plate 8. The first answer window tis vutilized `when the first sliding member 41s slid to the right, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, and the second answer window 19 is utilized when the iirstsli-ding member -4 is slid to the left, vas illustrated inV FIGURE 2. The windows are accompanied by index marks 18a and 19a respectively and the marks and windows serve as index means for reading 3 the final answer. Slide member d. carries a first scale 1813 which is aligned with the window 1S and this is a positive scale showing the additional time which will be required to run a race if it is run slower than a previous race. The sliding member 4 also carries on its back face a scale Mb which is a negative Scale and shows the amount of time which will be cut off of a previous race if todays race can be run faster than said previous race.

The first slide member 4 carries a weight scale 20 and the second slide member 5 carries a weight scale 21 with said weight scales being viewable through the window i6, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The first slide -member 4 carries on its rear or back face a first track scale 22 with figures corresponding to different known race tracks which are positioned on the scale in accordance with speed potentials of the tracks. The scale 22 represents tracks on which todays race is to' be run. The second slide member S carries a second track scale 23 which is graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with their speed potentials and is re resentative of tracks on `which a previous race was run. For convenience of spacing, symbols of the tracks are used on the scales 22 land 23 and the identity of these symbols is conveniently presented in a chart 24 on the plate 8 located above the window 17.

The iirst slide member 4 is provided withan age scale 25 viewable through the window 17a. This first age scale contains figures representative of the horses previous age when a previous race was run. The frame plate 7 contains a second age scale 26 having graduations representative of todays age and positioned beside the window 17a so as to be alignable with the previous age scale 25.

The back plate 8 of the frame 7 is provided with a track adjustment scale 27 with which conversion up to down may be made for an increased or decreased total length of race. The track adjustment scale is formed of a plurality of first diagonal or slanted lines 23 and a plurality of second diagonal or slanted lines 29 which are normal to the first lines are are intermediate thereof to join the ends of the first lines thereby forming upper and lower pockets 35 and 31. These pockets are provided with numbers of distance and seconds with the upper pockets 3d shown as having numbers indicative of various distances and the lower pockets 31 having numbers indicative ol' change in seconds.

In operation of the calculator, slide members 4 and 5 are `gripped at their locations indicated at A and B or at C and D on their back side. The operator sequentially moves slide A, slide B and slide C (referring to the letters at the ends of the slide) and reads the answer in one of the answer windows 1S or 19. A full illustration of operation will be best presented with an example.

GIVEN l. A horse is entered in a race today. You know: A. The date (and age of horse). B. The -weight he will carry. C. The track. D. The distance to be run.

Il. You find `his best previous performance from the D'aily Racing Form (preferably at todays distance). You note:

A. The date of that race (month and year and horses age).

v B. The weight he carried.

C. The name of the track.

lD. His time in that race.

TO FIND What is the maximum potential (the fastest time he could run this race) of the horse in todays race, assuming:

A. llhe horse is in `top condition. B. An able pockey will be riding.

C. The trainers instructions are try to win. D. Bad racing luck does not enter the picture. E. The track condition is fast. F. The horse does not suddenly become ill or is out of sorts.

SOLUTION A. Age improvement-Move Slide A, showing the age of the horse and the month when he ran his best previous race at the distance-opposite todays age and month.

B. YWeight adjustment. Move Slide B showing weight carried today-opposite the weight he carried in his best previous race.

(Now turn calculator over.)

C. Track adjustmeul-lvlove Slide C showing track of todays race-opposite previous track where horse ran his best race.

D. Answer window-libe answer will be found in seconds (and fractions), in one of two answer windows.

(l) if the answer shows 0 (Zero) time, no further calculations are needed. The calculated time for todays race is the same as that of his best previous race.

(2) lf the answer is a plus timeadd this to the time of his best previous race. The calculated time for todays race will be slower than before.

(3) lf the answer is a minus time-subtract this from the time of his best previous race. rl`he calculated time for todays race will be faster than before.

HI. Example Past Performance Date of previous race August 1958. Weight carried lbs. Name of track Pimlico.

His time in that race 1:113/5.

Age in last race 2 year old.

Todays Race Todays date May 1959. Todays weight lbs.

Todays track Garden State Park. Todays distance 6 furlong.

Tedays age 3 year old.

A. 1st step: Age impr0vement-Move Slide A7 so that August, 2 year old is opposite May, 3 year old on the frame.

B. 2nd step.' Weight adjzflstmenLf-Move Slide B so that 125 lbs. is opposite 120 lbs. on Slide A.

C. 3rd step: Track adjustmenf--lvlcve Slide C so that indicator B4 (for Garden State Park) is over indicator' C2 (for IPimlico).

D. 4th step: Answer window- You find --l (minus one second) in the Answer window. Now subtract this 1 second from his best previous time of 1:ll%; this gives you a time for todays race of 1:103/5.

The horse should run todays race in 1 minute, 103/5 seconds, providing the qualifications, A to F above are favorable.

Table 27 will convert a best time to a new distance. This table is used when the horse has never run in a racc of todays distance.

When this occurs you take a race of some other distance in which he ran at his best; by using the Conversion Table 27, you convert the given time to fit a time for the distance of todays race. v

l. CONVERT FROM NEARBY DISTANCE The results of converting are most accurate when the distances involved are nearly the same. lt would be more accurate to convert from 1.1/16 miles to 1% miles than it would be to convert from 3/4 mile to ll/s miles.

a. It is better to convert down rather than to convert up For example, if the horse has never run at a die tance of a mile and a sixteenth, choose to convert down from ll/s miles rather than up from l mile. (Providing, of. course, that he ran a good race at ll/s miles.)

deseado 2. CONVERSION EXAMPLES a. Suppose the distance today is 11/16 miles, which the horse 'has never run before. -He has run an outstanding race-of l-'l/s Vmilesin 1:49.

The conversion table 'sho-ws that 6% seconds should comeoff to convert to 11/16 miles. The new time to use for step 4 (Answer Window -13 -or V19) would be 1:421/5 seconds, plus or rninus the ligure in the Answer Window.

`b. Suppose the distance [today is 'a mile and 7G yards. fHe has run a ,good race of 7 urlongs in 1:262/5.

. The conversion table shows that to convert from 7 f. to l mile and 70 yards, -you must add v123/5 seconds plus 41/5 seconds to the time of 1:262/5 (between 7 f. and 1 mile, iyou iind 12% seconds; and from 1 mile to 1 mile and 70 yards you -iind 41/5 seconds).

The new time would be 1:431/5.

c. Between 6 furlongs and 61/2 furlongs you ind 6 scc- Vonds. If a horse has run asix furlong race in 1:12, you would add 6 seconds to that time to nd what his time might be in a 61/2 furlong race. (1:12 plus 6:11:18 for Q 'l/zfurlongs.) i

Asprinter is a horse who runs his best races at distances up to 7 furlongs and runs poorly beyond that distance. A router is a horse that runs his best races beyond 7 furlongs. 25

These facts .should be considered in conversions.

Sometimes it fis evident -that the time given as his best time at the distance is below his known ability. This would Ahappen if the horse was in poor condition at the only time 'he ran that distance.

Under this condition you discard the given time and compute a'better time by using the conversion table.

There are two race courses 'that require an additional computation with the calculator. This is because one is unusually fast and the other one is unusually slow. 3U

I. Widener course-This is a straight course with no curves. Most races run at Belmont Park at distances up -to 461/2 furlongs are run here, and are consequently run in faster times than other courses.

4If previous lrace was on a Widener course, compute as usual and then add 1 second.

If todays race is 'on a Widen-er course, compute as usual and then subtract 1 second.

Il. Tz'monum.-The characteristics lof this track are such that it is Aslower than other tracks. 45

lf previous race was at Timonium, vcompute as usual and then subtract 2 seconds.

If todays race is at Timonium, compute as usual and then add 2 seconds. l

Asan example of an instance vwherein the present calculator will enable handicapping with improved accuracy, let us take a simulated race run at Arlington Park, Chicago, in July Aof 19.58, at a distance of @d mile. This is a vhandicap race lin which only two consistent horses are a factor in an otherwise poor field of entries.

The novice handicapper would lreason thus: Horse B" will surely win this .race because all lof the following fac- Vtorsafavror the horsey 75 (l) His best time for the distance is 111%, compared to 1:13 for Horse A.

(t2) He is dropping 4 lbs. from his last race while Horse A is picking up 6 lbs.

(3) He is being spotted 6 lbs. by Horse A today, wheree as he was giving up 4 lbs. in their last comparable races.

(4) A four year old is generally favored over a three year old.

(5) A horse is generally better than a iilly.

In this example the novice handicapper is due for a disappointment. Assuming both horses are in top condition, and have experienced jockeys, Horse A should win .the raceby 15 lengths and could run the race in the time of 1:103/5.

The novice would call this an upset. An experienced handicapper, however, would call the results of the race as running to form.

The experienced handicapper knows that the ten months rest (age improvement) of Horse A will more than compensate for the differences in weight; and that the speed ratings of the two previous tracks raced upon, compared to todays track (which is about 3 seconds) will more than compensate for their best time difierences of the previous race.

The exact allowances for these three factors of age irnprovement, track speed rating, and weights, are computed for all handicappers (be he novice or professional), on the calculator in a couple of minutes.

The instant calculator is designed to give the time (in seconds and fractions of seconds) that a horse may run a given race. With three simple settings of the slides, the potential speed of a given horse on a given track on a given day while carrying a given weight, can be computed from available information as to the best previous performance of the horse.

One starts with the best time the horse has run a previous race; we utilize, in addition to his time, the date of the race, thev weight carried, and the track at which the race was run.

In calculating the time the horse could run todays race, one must make adjustments -for three factors. They are:

(1) For age improvement. (2) :For weight carried. (3) For track speed rating.

All other factors that contribute to the speed of a horse have already been incorporated into the calculations, since they contributed to the time of his best previous effort.

Horses show monthly improvement from their first race as a two-year old. Their speed continues to improve as a three-year old, but at a slower rate.

From four years and up, their speed is generally better in the spring than in summer and fall. The annual fall-olf in ability is gradual, but very slight, from this point on.

The calculator compensates for the change in speed caused by increased age.

The more weight a horse carries, the longer it will take him to arrive at the iinish line. The effect of the weight is less at the lower weights but increases in importance as the rweight increases.

The calculator adjusts lthe speed of the horse to the weight he carries.

Horses can run fasteron some tracks than on others due to different characteristics of the tracks. For example, tracks are slower that are shorter in circumference, have sharp turns, uneven surfaces, etc. Tracks are faster lthat have larger ovals, banked turns, wider and longer stretches, etc.

Over one hundred American tracks are `assigned a speed rating on the calculator. These track speed ratitngs are determined by the characteristics of each track andare reflected, a great deal, in theexisting track records.l (Race tracks having denitcal track records do not necessarily have the same speed rating.) Y

aofi-doce The calculator adjusts the speed of the horse to the speed rating of the new track.

Track records are the result of two distinctly different factors. One factor, that of Track Characteristics, is of a more permanent nature. The other factor, Class or" Horses Racing, is more tlexible.

The class of horses that run at a track are based upon:

(l) Size of purses otered. (2) Geographic locations. (3) Competing tracks.

A horse running in a mile race at Pomona, California, should run about 4 seconds slower than he would run at Hollywood Park, California, under otherwise identical conditions-excepting the characteristics of the two tracks.

(l) Over-all distance around. (2) `Shape of oval.

(3) Sharpness of turns.

(4) Width o track.

(5) Type of soil.

(6) Length of stretch.

(7) Uneven surface of track. (8) Banking of turns.

(9) Climatic conditions.

A list of North American tracks is found on the back of the calculator on chart 2d. They are listed in the alphabetical order of their abbreviations. Following such abbreviation is a handy index to use `for locating the track on slides C and D.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided an improved calculator which meets the objectives and advantages hereinbefore set forth, is simple in construction and in operation, and provides improvements over calculators of the type heretofore known.

I have, in the drawings and specification, presented a detailed disclosure of the preferred embodiment or" my invention, and it is to be understood that l do not intend to limit the invention of the specific `Iorm disclosed but intend to cover all modifications, changes and alternative constructions and methods falling within the scope of the principles taught by my invention.

l claim as my invention:

l. A calculator for determining racing time comprising a first movable member having a weight scale on one face graduated to indicate the weight carried by a race horse in a previous race, a second movable member having a weight scale on one face adjacent said one face of said first movable member graduated to indicate todays weight carried by the race horse, said first movable member having a track scale on the opposite face graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the track and representative of a track used in todays race, said second movable member having a track scale on the opposite face adjacent the track scale of said first member and graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks and representative of a track used for said previous race, said first movable member having an age scale on said one face representative of age at a previous race and shifted longitudinally from said previous weight scale, a stationary member having an age scale thereon with graduation markings representative of age at said todays race with the scale positioned adjacent said age scale on said first movable member, index means on said stationary member, and a racing time change scale means on said first movable member graduated to indicate increase and decrease in racing time and positioned to be aligned with said index means.

2. A calculator for determining racing time comprising a first slide member having a weight scale on a front face graduated to indicate the weight carried by a race horse at a previous race, a second slide member having a weight scale on the front face graduated to indicate todays weight carried by the race horse, a track scale on the back face of said rst slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, a track scale on the back face of said second slide member adjacent the track scale of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, said track scale on said first slide member representative of the track used in todays race and said track scale on said second slide member representative of a track used for said previous race, an age scale on one face of the first slide member with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said previous race, a stationary member having an age scale thereon with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said todays race with the age scale positioned adjacent said age scale on said first slide member, an index means on said stationary member, and a racing time change scale on said first movable member graduated to indicate increase and decrease in racing time and positioned to be in alignment with said index means.

3. A calculator for determining racing time comprising a rst slide member having a weight scale on a front face graduated to indicate the weight carried by a race horse at a previous race, a second slide member having a weight scale on the front face graduated to indicate todays weight carried by the race horse, a track scale on the back face of said iirst slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed po tentials of the tracks, a track scale on the back face of said second slide member adjacent the track scale of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, said track scale on said first slide member representative ot the track used in todays race and said track scale on said second slide member representative of a track used for said previous race, an age scale on one face of the first slide member with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said previous race, a stationary member having an age scale thereon with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said todays race with the age scale positioned adjacent said age scale on said first slide member, a racing change scale on said first movable member graduated to indicate increase and decrease in racing time for todays race as compared with said previous race, a portion on said stationary member overlying said racing time change scale, and means detining a window through said portion aligned with said racing time change scale and exposing a portion of said scale indicative of the time change which is the function of the settings of the other scales.

4. A calculator for determining racing time comprising a first slide member having a weight scale on a front face graduated to indicate the weight carried by a race horse at a previous race, a second slide member having a weight scale on the front face graduated to indicate todays weight carried hy the race horse, a track scale on the back face of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, a track scale on the back face of said second slide member adjacent the track scale of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, said track scale on said lirst slide member representative of the track used in todays race and said track scale on said second slide member representative of a track used for said previous race, an age scale on one face of the first slide member with graduation markings representative of the age ofthe horse at said previous race, a stationary frame member having an age scale thereon with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said todays race with the age scale positioned adjacent said age scale on said first slide member, a first racing time change scale on the iront face of the first slide member, a second racing time change scale on the back face of the first slide member, portions of said frame member overlapping said first and said second time change scales, a first window in one of said overlapping portions aligned with said first time scale, a second window in the other of said overlapping portions aligned with said second time scale, said time scales spaced so that one Window is used when the first slide member is shifted in one direction relative to the frame member and the other Window is used when the first slide member is shifted in the other direction.

5. A calculator for determining racing time comprising a first slide member having a Weight scale on a front face graduated to indicate the Weight carried by a race horse at a previous race, a second slide member having a weight scale on the front face graduated to indicate todays weight carried by the race horse, a track scale on the back face of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord With speed potentials of the tracks, a track scale on the back face of said second slide member adjacent the track scale of said first slide member graduated in markings of different known race tracks in accord with speed potentials of the tracks, said track scale on said first slide member representative of the track used in todays race and said track scale on said second slide member representative of a track used for said previous race, an age scale on one face of the first slide member with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said previous race, a stationary member having an age scale thereon with graduation markings representative of the age of the horse at said todays race with the age scale positioned adjacent said age scale on said first slide member, a first racing time change scale on the first slide member, a second racing time change scale on the first slide member, and first and second index means on said frame member positioned respectively adjacent said first and second racing time change scales on said first slide member, said first racing time change scale and said first index means indicative of reduced racing times for todays race and said second time change scale and said second index means indicative of increased racing times for todays race.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES- PATENTS 1,108,480 Tomlinson Aug. 25, 1914 1,686,843 Burke Oct. 9, 1928 2,530,047 De War Nov. 14, 1950 2,532,619 Heerich Dec. 5, 1950 2,643,719 Schneider June 30, 1953 

